On December 29, China appointed naval veteran Dong Jun as its new Defense Minister. This decision could facilitate the resumption of high-level military talks with the United States, reports Bloomberg. The appointment of Dong Jun ends weeks of speculation about who would take over the position after the unexplained dismissal in October of the former defense minister, Li Shangfu. Li Shangfu is subject to US sanctions. Dong Jun is the first military officer to be appointed as China’s defense minister and is not yet a member of the Central Military Commission. Previously, General Liu Zhenli, the …